Poker-machine plunderers cause community concern

The trend of city hoteliers buying local rural pubs and stripping them of their poker machines has ignited the wrath of Coolamon Shire Council. The Council resolved in July to write to the Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello about concerns over the issue. Council general manager Tony Donoghue said the concern was the ongoing viability of the local pubs being taken to larger centres and leaving potential business holes in the communities. “Whilst not condoning the moral issue around gambling, the fact is the associated income stream is important to maintaining these community hubs,” Mr Donoghue said. “Local hotels mean far more than just alcohol and gambling for rural communities – they provide meals, sponsorship, entertainment and meeting places. “It is not thought appropriate that the current tactic of large hotel operators divesting rural communities of these assets should be allowed to continue. “They are using the loopholes in legislation to their benefit at the expense of rural communities.” Hotels bought, stripped of their assets and immediately put back on the market has occurred at Coolamon, Temora and West Wyalong in recent months. An industry source told the Argus even though it was his job to sell hotels, what was happening was criminal. “These pubs are the cornerstone of these little communities,” he said. Mr Donoghue said pubs stripped of their licences before the 2000 Sydney Olympics left some smaller rural communities unable to recover. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has made representations to Minister Dominello on behalf of the Council on the issue. Royal Tavern Coolamon licensee Penny McLoughlin said residents were sad to see the historic Coolamon Hotel close. “We, even as publicans, miss there being two pubs in town – the town does need two pubs,” Mrs McLoughlin said. “We don’t like seeing any empty buildings in the town – Coolamon was starting to become quite a popular little place and with there being only one hotel to visit, makes it a bit harder seeing it closed.” Mrs McLoughlin said it was a shame to see the iconic building empty and hoped someone would buy it. “That’s the first building you see when driving through Coolamon,” she said. “It’s upsetting to see a beautiful old building go to waste.” Mrs McLoughlin said the Royal Tavern had also been a victim of pokie stripping. “We leased the venue without poker machines – it had 12 and now it has none,” she said. “This place has always had good regular support and we have the bistro. “With Coolamon Cheese across the road, it does bring people to town.” Turn to page 7 to read about the Royal Tavern’s turn around without poker machines.

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